Top 6 best attractions to see in Santander, Spain

Welcome to Santander, the vibrant capital of the Cantabria region in northern Spain! You are in for a treat with the city’s wide range of attractions, including vast sandy beaches, history museums, and art centers. Here is a list of top 6 must-see attractions in Santander, so get ready to explore!

1- Magdalena Palace in Santander:

_{via – hola}

The Royal Palace of La Magdalena located on a beautiful peninsula overlooking the sea. Built between 1908 and 1912 as a summer residence for the Spanish royal family and home to the International University and a public park, it now welcomes visitors from all Over the World.

Come and explore the various paths on the palace grounds and experience the majesty of the palace. The palace has  breathtaking coastal views and the stunning French Neoclassical interior, complete with traditional Spanish touches like beautiful wood paneling and coffered ceilings.

2- El Sardinero Beach:

_{via – beachsearcher}

El Sardinero beach located between Cabo Menor and the La Magdalena Peninsula on the Bay of Biscay. You’ll love the 1,300-meter strip of golden sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters, which earned the beach a Blue Flag for its cleanliness.

The beach divided into two sections by Piquío Park, located on a rocky promontory. You’ll find plenty of options for food, treats, and activities along the beach, including restaurants, ice cream shops, and surf schools.

Be sure to walk the beautiful boardwalk that runs the length of the beach. You’ll love the calm waters, perfect for small children to swim. Besides, thanks to the shelter provided by the Cabo Menor and La Magdalena peninsulas. Don’t worry about amenities there’s public restrooms, showers, and even a children’s play area!

3-  Mercado de la Esperanza in Santander:

_{via – eltomavistasdesantander}

Welcome to the Mercado de la Esperanza! This beautiful market, designed by Eduardo Reynals and Juan Moya in the late 19th century. It is the perfect place to find the freshest local products from delicious meats and fish to crisp vegetables and mouth-watering cheese. you’ll find everything you need here!

4-  Cabárceno Natural Park in Santander:

_{via – okmobility}

Cabárceno Natural Park is an impressive zoo and nature reserve situated in  Penagos town, Spain, 17 km south of Santander. The park provides 750 hectares of karst landscape reclaimed from an ancient open-cast iron mine.

The Cabárceno Natural Park has semi-captive conditions, including large enclosures where one or more species live together, with more than 100 species from five continents. Welcome to this magnificent location! Here, you’ll have the excellent opportunity to observe animals such as European bison, jaguars, and white rhinoceroses living in their natural habitats. Follow the designated routes in your vehicle to travel from station to station and safely observe the animals that roam freely in the park. Come and experience the wonders of nature with us!

You’ll find a variety of facilities like a medical station, public telephones, ATMs, environmental classrooms, picnic areas, parking, a cafeteria, a restaurant, and gift shops. And if you want to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the park, there’s even a gondola available to transport visitors arouand the park.

5- The Centro Botín in Santander:

_{via – centrobotin}

The Centro Botín is a spacious center for the arts located on the waterfront on the south bank of Santander. You’ll be amazed by its stunning modern architecture, designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.

The building covers an impressive area of 8,739 square meters. Also, it is divided into two blocks connected by a unique structure of plazas and walkways known as the Pachinko.  The west block is dedicated to art and features two exhibition rooms measuring  2,500 m2. The east block is the cultural and educational activities, including an auditorium for 300 people, classrooms, workspaces, and a rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the city and its bay.

Visitors introduced to all aspects of contemporary art from the late 20th to the 21st century.  Moreover, the museum has a remarkable permanent collection of contemporary photography, painting, and sculpture.  It also hosts a diversity of rotating temporary exhibitions, film screenings, music concerts, and dance performances.

6- La Magdalena Beach :

_{via – inspain}

La Magdalena Beach is a stunning 900-meter-long and 70-meter-wide golden-sand beach. This beautiful beach located beside the Peninsula of La Magdalena!  It’s no wonder it has been awarded the Blue Flag for its calm, perfect waters. La Magdalena Beach’s sandy shores extend almost a kilometer, making it ideal for a long walk or a relaxing day. This beach has a fantastic yacht club/sailing school, a fun children’s playground, and delicious outdoor snack bar. This beach offers a wide range of facilities like: public toilets, showers, a sports area, and rentals for umbrellas and lounge chairs.